


Baby Naming and The Unforeseen (Good) Consequences

by Curtissemily_38



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Good Parent Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui, just good old fashioned fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22250059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Curtissemily_38/pseuds/Curtissemily_38
Summary: Kukui decides to tell Ash about the baby, but he's worried how the kid will take it. Of course, Ash is enthusiastic as ever, but this leads to one more thing Kukui needs to tell his boy.(Just a quick fluffy little thing about the boys.)
Relationships: Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 14
Kudos: 187





	Baby Naming and The Unforeseen (Good) Consequences

“…Go’s just so cool, Professor! Today he caught every single bug type in Kanto! I was a little jealous at first, because _I_ wanted to catch that Scyther… but I know Go will be a great trainer for it so it’s okay! Oh! And we’re going to visit the Hoenn region soon! I entered Go and me in the Frontier Glass Flute Cup! I don’t think he’s had any battles yet but I know he’ll do great! But Pikachu and I are gonna win for sure! Right, buddy?”

“ _Pika!”_

Professor Kukui let out a hardy laugh listening to Ash’s stories about his new friends. Ash truly brought unbridled enthusiasm to their weekly video chats, and Kukui couldn’t get enough of it. He missed the boy on the other side of his screen _so damn much,_ but hearing about his adventures every week and seeing that bright, beaming smile on Ash’s face as he recounted the tales eased the missing just enough.

In the first week after Ash had left Alola, he’d been excited about working with Professor Sakuragi and Go and Koharu, but he also had been feeling like something inside him was just out of place. He normally had that feeling for a day or so every time he moved on from a region, but it didn’t usually last this long. He’d been starting to worry that leaving Alola had been the wrong decision when at the end of the week he’d gotten a call from Kukui.

Turns out, the Professor had missed him just as much - if not more than - and couldn’t wait until Ash was scheduled to come visit in a few months to talk to him.

After their first call, they’d both felt so much better that they decided to make it a weekly thing.

And now, a couple weeks in, Kukui still couldn’t get enough of hearing about Ash’s new journey. He listened enthusiastically, but he had something on his mind that was worrying him.

Not long after Ash left, Kukui and Burnett had found out about the pregnancy. Kukui had been so overjoyed and wanted to tell everyone in the world. He’d been planning on telling Ash on their next scheduled call but when the time came, he found himself unable to share the information.

He didn’t know why he was anxious about telling Ash. Was he worried Ash wouldn’t be happy? That maybe Ash would feel like he’s being replaced? That Kukui wouldn’t have time for him anymore? He knew without a doubt that those thoughts were completely wrong, but Kukui had still held back on telling the boy for a while now.

But since Ash’s visit was coming up, and the kid would definitely notice when he arrived, Kukui needed to let him know sooner rather than later.

“Professor?”

Kukui startled, bringing himself out of his thoughts. He just realized how quiet he’d been, and the kid on the screen was starting to look worried.

“Ah, sorry Ash. I was just thinking about something.”

Ash frowned ever so slightly, his eyes scrutinizing the Professor for any hint of something being amiss. “Is everything alright?”

Kukui let out a breath and centered himself. He figured now was as good as time as any. “Actually, I have something big to tell you.” Ash nodded tentatively, prompting the Professor to continue.

Kukui tried not focus on the ball of anxiety settled in the pit of his stomach, gnawing at his insides like a Garbodor loose in a dump, instead plastering a smile on his face for show.

“Professor Burnet and I are going to have a baby.”

.

.

.

A moment passed with nothing coming from the boy on the screen, and the ball of worry in Kukui’s stomach felt like it was going to explode. He was a second from startling to babble nonsense when Ash suddenly leapt to life.

“PROFESSOR!” The boy shouted at the top of his lungs. He jumped from his seat and got so close to the camera that he was nearly plastered to the lens. His eyes were bright and twinkling with joy and Kukui had never seen a bigger grin on his face. “That’s so amazing! I’m so happy for you both! When did you find out? When is the baby going to come? What color are you gonna paint its room? Is it a boy or a girl? Can I babysit sometime? What Pokémon do you think they’ll have? What are you going to name-“

Kukui couldn’t hold back any longer, bursting with laughter and doubling over as his side got a stitch. He felt so _stupid_ for being worried. This is exactly how he should’ve expected Ash to react. Heck, the kid was asking questions that even he hadn’t thought about yet.

Ash crossed his arms and huffed at the Professor’s laughter. “What’s so funny, Professor?”

Kukui wiped a tear from his eye and calmed his giggling. “Nothing at all, Ash. I’m just glad to see you haven’t changed in the slightest.” Kukui quickly went back through Ash’s list of questions, realizing he really didn’t have answer to most of them. “We found out not too long ago, but I didn’t want to tell you while you were still getting settled in there. We’re still waiting to tell some people here, but Hala and Lusamine know. They’re very excited – not as excited as you of course – but still really happy for us. Of course you can babysit whenever you want,” he paused, thinking about anything else he could tell the kid, but coming up with nothing, “and I’m not sure I can answer your other questions yet…”

Ash looked like he was about to rattle off a hundred more questions when Kukui realized he did have one more answer.

“Oh! We do know that it’s going to be a boy,” Kukui said proudly. Truth be told, he wasn’t really concerned with the gender of the baby. But almost everyone asked that question so he figured it wouldn’t hurt to know.

Not half a second passed before Ash sprung to life once more. Kukui didn’t think it was possible, but Ash lit up brighter than ever. Now he was fully pressed against the lens and his cheek was squished on the screen. “A BOY!! That’s so great, Professor!”

Kukui watched Ash and Pikachu hug and laugh with one another, absolutely giddy with how the situation had turned out. He was getting ready to tell Ash more details when he could almost physically see the lightbulb go off above the kid’s head.

“Oh, I know! You should name him Ash! That would be so cool!”

Kukui was taken aback, his smile changing from excited to endeared. Arceus, that kid was so kind and pure. How could he not have realized by now how Kukui felt about him? The Professor wasn’t quite sure, and yeah, talking about feelings and emotions and all that could be embarrassing. But he really wanted Ash to know how important he was to him, and that he was just as much a part of this family as this new baby would be.

“Now, why would I name him that when I already have a son named Ash?”

Kukui looked at Ash softly, giving him an earnest and warm smile. He wasn’t embarrassed at all to tell the boy that he looked to him as a son.

And Ash, bless the boy, was looking anywhere other than the camera, cheeks blushing a bright crimson. “Oh… well, I suppose that makes sense… I hadn’t thought about that…” He was wearing a giddy smile on his face, so Kukui knew he’d chosen the right words.

He didn’t think the kid got a lot of paternal praise all that often, especially since the kid’s father was nowhere to be found and had been that way for a long time. Kukui wanted to tell Ash every single day just how much he loved him, and how proud he was of him, but he didn’t want to come off as smothering either.

Kukui was also afraid that it wasn’t his place to be something of a father to Ash, but damn the consequences, he wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass up. They’d grown so close during his time in Alola, and he wasn’t going to let something as small as a thousand or so miles ruin that.

“…Professor?”

Kukui had to snap himself out of his thoughts again (even if they were more positive this time around). He focused on the screen again, taking in Ash’s calm demeanor and happy grin. He’d never get tired of seeing that smile. “Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Kukui was taken aback for the second time that day, the surprise clearly written across his face. “For what, kiddo?”

Ash took off his hat, scratching his head absentmindedly while pointedly looking at Pikachu and not the professor. “For… well, everything I guess. I’m really happy I got to spend so much time with you and Professor Burnett and everyone in Alola,” He paused, eyes looking forward to meet Kukui’s, “and that you let me be a part of your family.”

Kukui just nodded, starting to feel himself get emotional. He could see Ash’s eyes glistening ever so slightly, and he knew his own certainly looked just the same. He decided it was time to change the subject before he started crying like a baby. “Well, I’ll be sure to give you every update about the baby as they come. In the meantime, tell me more about the tournament in Hoenn you signed up for! I want to know everything.”

“Oh yeah! It’s going to be so _cool_ …”


End file.
